Toronto @ Nashville preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 7, 2019 ) Nashville 4, Toronto 0

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been extremely generous over the past week, surrendering 23 goals en route to dropping three of four outings. The Maple Leafs bid to tighten up defensively on Tuesday when they play the second contest of a three-game road trip against the Nashville Predators.

"We're not sulking or getting down on one another. We want to hold each other accountable and obviously be better for one another," Toronto forward Auston Matthews told reporters on Monday, two days after seeing his team gashed for six goals by league-worst Ottawa. The 21-year-old Matthews set up John Tavares' power-play goal in the second period against the Senators to extend his point streak to four games (four goals, two assists) and move within two of 200 for his career. While the Maple Leafs sit four points behind second-place Boston in the Atlantic Division, Nashville trails Central-leading Winnipeg despite winning four of its last six games. Viktor Arvidsson scored twice in Saturday's 4-2 victory versus San Jose to boost his goal total to five in his last seven games and 99 for his career.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TSN4 (Toronto), FS Tennessee (Nashville)

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (43-24-5): Sidelined for four games with a concussion, forward Kasperi Kapanen admitted to feeling much better after skating ahead of practice on Monday. "It's hard to describe. You just don't feel like yourself. You feel like you're in a bit of a fog. I felt slowed down. It's not fun," the 22-year-old Kapanen said. "I'm just happy to be back practicing with the guys today, and we'll see about (Tuesday)." The status of Frederik Gauthier (foot) is much clearer, as the center will not travel to Nashville or Buffalo (Wednesday) and will be re-evaluated Thursday.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (41-27-5): Pekka Rinne has alternated losses and wins over his last six outings following his 25-save performance in Thursday's 3-1 victory versus Los Angeles. The reigning Vezina Trophy recipient turned aside all 18 shots he faced against Toronto in a 4-0 win on Jan. 7, giving him two shutouts and a 4-4-2 career mark in 11 meetings with the Maple Leafs. Colton Sissons, who has scored in back-to-back games, joined Mattias Ekholm and Kevin Fiala with a goal and an assist in the first tilt against Toronto.

OVERTIME

1. Nashville F Austin Watson was reinstated by the NHL on Monday after being suspended indefinitely and admitted into Stage 2 of the league's substance abuse and behavioral health program in January.

2. Maple Leafs D Morgan Rielly has seven points (five goals, two assists) in his last eight contests.

3. Nashville owns a sterling 9-3-2 mark against Atlantic Division adversaries while Toronto is just 6-6-1 versus Central foes.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 4, Predators 2